Basking Shark Taken Despite Protection

October 21, 2009

Release from: Fishnewseu.com

The Shark Alliance is condemning the illegal landing of a basking shark in Ireland.

The fourteen foot long shark was taken unintentionally by an Irish fishing vessel in a net off Lambay Island, near Skerries, on 14 October. The harmless, filter-feeding shark, weighing approximately 500 kilograms was probably still a juvenile - was reportedly taken.

The basking shark, the world’s second largest fish species, is classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered to extinction in the Northeast Atlantic. Since 2006, it has been illegal for EU vessels to fish, retain or land basking sharks.

“There are so few safeguards for sharks in Europe. It is critical that all existing rules, particularly those for endangered species, are strictly enforced and that fishermen are educated about them,” said Ali Hood, Director of Conservation for the Shark Trust, a founding member of the Shark Alliance with a long history in basking shark conservation. “Fishermen must be made aware of the need to avoid basking sharks and the importance of carefully releasing and reporting any that are caught accidentally.”

Basking shark livers are valuable for oil which is used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. A single, enormous basking shark fin can fetch tens of thousands of euros for use as storefront advertising that a Chinese restaurant sells the delicacy shark fin soup.

“Enforcement of existing shark protections and prevention of future violations are essential elements of living up to the EU’s new commitment to shark conservation,” added Hood.

In February 2009, the European Commission released its long-awaited Community Plan of Action for Sharks. Among other things, the Plan includes commitments to educate fishermen and the general public about shark conservation programs and restrictions on shark fishing.

The European Council of Ministers endorsed the Shark Plan in April, but the Commission has yet to take some key steps to implement it. Besides promoting such education measures, the Shark Alliance is particularly concerned to ensure that the EU’s shark finning ban is strengthened as a priority.